Table to be attached at the rear of a chair back

ABSTRACT

In order to improve the comfort for passengers in flight cabins, busses or similar places, the table between the seats has been extended by means of an additional table (5) which may be smaller than the main table (4) and therefore particularly suited for holding glasses, cups and the like. 
     The table surfaces (4, 5) are mounted to the legs of the chair (9) in such a manner that the table surfaces may be swung in and out to abut the rear of the back of the chair (1) in that the connection between the tables (4, 5) is effected by distance pieces (7) or by a plate (4&#39;). 
     Moreover, a shelf (11) can be mounted on the outer part of the lower table (4) in order that the shelf (11) can be tilted down in the erect position of the table (FIG. 3) whereby table space is provided without limiting the passage behind the shelf.

The invention relates to a table to be attached at the rear of a chairback, where the table comprises two table surfaces being attached to theback of the chair in such a manner that they can be swung out from anerect position parallel to the chair back to an operative position, inwhich position the table surfaces are parallel to each other atdifferent horizontal levels.

Tables of this sort are especially used in connection with seats, wherethe person sitting must be able to put objects or place e.g. food andbeverages on the tables.

Chairs with such tables are especially mounted in flight cabins, busses,train carriages, waiting rooms and similar places where maximum comfortis required, and where it is desirable that the tables may be collapsedwhen not used in order that passage may take place unobstructedlybetween rows of chairs where the chairs stand close to each other inrows.

Tables with two table surfaces are e.g. known from the specification ofU.S. Pat. No. 2,973,028 which concerns a table device which can beattached rearwardly projecting from the back of a chair. The tables arehinged to a floor bracket in such a manner that the upper table must beswung out and up before the lower table can be swung out and down. Thislimits the number of choices in that it is only possible to have eitherthe upper table or having both tables together tilted down at the sametime.

Morover, a table is known with only one single table surface which canbe swung out and down from a folded-up position, where the table surfaceby means of a catch is held firmly to the back of the chair. This tablesurface is especially used in passenger cabins where it is required thatthe table is low-weight and takes up only little space in its folded-upposition.

However, there is only one single table surface which either providestoo much table space if for instance only a cup is to be placed on thetable, or too little table space where a whole meal with drinks isserved on a tray. Moreover, it is impossible to pass through the rows ofchairs when such a table is tilted down, which is a considerabledrawback.

It is the object of the invention to overcome these drawbacks and toobtain advantages, and this is achieved by a table, where the lowertable at the rear part of the side edges is hinged to table legs beingmounted at the lower part of the chair back in such a manner that thetable legs may be swung out, and in that the upper table surface at therear part of the side edges is hinged to a distance piece which is alsohinged to the table legs.

This first of all provides the possibility of choosing to unfold thelower table surface only or to unfold the lower as well as the uppertable surfaces simultaneously. When the lower table surface is largest,and the upper a narrower plate, a particularly advantageous constructionis achieved which fully meets the requirements for a large as well as asmall table for a tray, plates, and food, and for glasses, cups andbeverages, respectively. This means that a better distribution of theobjects on the tables is obtained, and consequently a more aesthetic andpractical separation between the various objects.

Add to this that this table device does not take up more room than doesthe known single table, whereby is obtained a much wider choice andutility value.

By connecting the two table sections with two rails, as referred to inclaim 2, a construction is achieved which is expedient in terms of lowweight and little space requirements.

By, as referred to in claim 3, designing the distance piece as a plate,this plate can by the single plate position form part of this, andtherefore it will not extend beyond the table surface thereby beinginconvenient to the user.

By, as referred to in claim 4, providing the lower table with a furthershelf at its outer part, a shelf may in the erect position of the tablesurfaces be tilted down, which makes it possible to place a cup, glassor the like on the shelf which will only take up as much space betweenthe rows of chairs as the size of the shelf.

Finally, it is expedient, as referred to in claim 5, to provide theshelf with a lock which may keep this firmly and unreleasably attachedto the table surface whereby it becomes possible to operate the tableswithout being obstructed by the shelf.

In the following the invention will be described with reference to thedrawing, where

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment with distance rails between the tablesurfaces in their unfolded position,

FIG. 2 shows the table surfaces in their erect position,

FIG. 3 shows the shelf unfolded in the erect position of the tables,

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment with plate between the table surfaces intheir unfolded position, and

FIG. 5 shows the plate and the upper table surface unfolded to form onetable only.

In FIGS. 1-3 is shown an example of an embodiment of the table, mountedat the back of a chair back 1 provided with a net bag 2, in that theindividual parts are best observed in the unfolded position of thetable, as shown in FIG. 1.

To the floor bracket of the chair is attached two table legs 9, to whichthe table is attached by means of an axle 12 or the like, and whichtable may be swung out. The actual table comprises a rectangular plate4, which at its outer edge may have rounded corners.

Along the outer part of the table 4 it is provided with an underlyingshelf 11 which may be swung out and which is mounted to the side edgesof the table 4 by means of an axle 6 or the like. Moreover, the shelf 11is held firmly to the table 4 by means of a spring lock, magnetic lockor the like, in order that it may be locked to the table, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, or be tilted down, as shown in FIG. 3.

The shelf may be provided with one or several recesses 10 for glass,cups, ashtrays or the like.

To the table legs is furthermore mounted two upwardly extending rails 7which at their ends form the base of a smaller table 5, as shown in FIG.1.

This embodiment meets several requirements, i.e. that there is a choicebetween two unfolded tables 4 and 5, as shown in FIG. 1, or a shelf 11,as shwon in FIG. 3. In the latter position only the shelf 11 takes uproom which means that it is easy to pass it.

In the erect position of the table, as shown in FIG. 2, the tables 4 and5 and the shelf 11 abut the chair back 1 closely, where the device canbe held by means of a catch 3.

This gives a considerable advantage in use, and since the components canbe made of light and strong materials, increased weight will not causeany problems.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the rails are replaced by arectangular plate 4', which partly connects the lower table surface 4with the upper surface 5, but which is also provided with some kind of astop, such as supporting means 14. In the same way the upper surface 5is provided with braces 15 or the like, but the supporting means 14 aswell as the braces 15 may be integral with the hinges 12, 13.

This embodiment have two operative positions, i.e. partly the doubletable, as shown in FIG. 4, and partly the single table, as shown in FIG.5. In the latter the plates 4, 4' and 5 are put together in that theupper plate 5 is tilted around to abut the front side of the distanceplate 4'. Hereby it becomes possible to use the combined surfaces as atable.

Finally, it will be possible to fold up the plates according to thisembodiment to abut closely to the back of the chair back 1 and beingheld there by means of a catch in order that the plates take up only asmuch room as do the hitherto known single tables.

A further feature of this embodiment is that light and strong materialscan be used in order that the added utility value causes no weightproblems. Furthermore, the small plate 5 may also in this embodiment besupplied with recesses corresponding to those shown in the shelf in FIG.2.

I claim:
 1. Table to be attached at the rear of a chair back, where thetable comprises two table surfaces being attached to the back of thechair in such a manner that they can be swung out from an erect positionparallel to the chair back to an operative position, in which positionthe table surfaces are parallel to each other at different horizontallevels, characterized in that the lower table surface (4) at the rearpart of the side edges is hinged (12) to table legs (9) being mounted atthe lower part of the chair back (1) in such a manner that the tablelegs may be swung out, and in that the upper table surface (5) at therear part of the side edges is hinged to a distance piece (7, 4') whichis also hinged (12) to the table legs (9).
 2. Table according to claim1, characterized in that the distance piece is made up of rails (7)extending between the side edges of the table surfaces (4, 5), (FIG. 1).3. Table according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance pieceis made up of a plate (4') extending between the rear edges of the tablesurfaces (4, 5) (FIG. 4).
 4. Table according to claim 1, characterizedin that there to the side edges of the lower table surface (4) moreoveris mounted (6) a shelf (11) extending along the bottom side of the outerpart of the table surface (4), and which in the erect position of thetable surfaces (4, 5) against the back of the chair (1) may be swung outto a horizontal position (FIG. 3).
 5. Table according to claim 4,characterized in that the shelf (11) is provided with a lock (8) forholding it unreleasably together with the table surface (4).
 6. Tableaccording to claim 2, characterized in that there to the side edges ofthe lower table surface moreover is mounted a shelf extending along thebottom side of the outer part of the table surface and which in theerect position of the table surfaces against the back of the chair maybe swung out to a horizontal position.